Updated on July 25, 2016
Poonam, a graduated from IIT Delhi with five years of work experience at BHEL and Evalueserve, represents the new class of MBA Aspirants who have good academic background and have requisite work-experience to make the best use of MBA education.
Poonam did well in CAT 08 to secure a call from IIM Lucknow, which is putting more emphasis on candidates with work experience.
MBAUniverse.com spoke to Poonam on her journey so far and road ahead.
Q: How does it feel getting call from prestigious IIMs…
I am very happy to receive interview invite from Indian Institute of Management (IIM). CAT is undoubtedly a very competitive exam and it feels great to have an opportunity to interview. But the battle has not been completely won yet, and the real challenge lies in presenting myself well in GDPI.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself? What is the reason for your pursuit of an MBA programme?
I graduated from IIT Delhi in 2003, and started my career with BHEL Hardwar as Engineer in the planning division. However, after working at BHEL for four years, I decided to move on to a more challenging job and joined Evalueserve as Business Analyst, where I am currently working. At this stage, I decided to hone my business skills with an MBA and IIM seemed a good option.
This is my first serious attempt at CAT and I am happy to have received a call from IIM Lucknow.
I believe that with my industry experience, I will be able to make best possible use of an MBA. I am glad that IIMs have shifted their focus from freshers to experienced professionals for their world-renowned PGP program. Post-MBA, I want to get into entrepreneurship.
Q: In your view, what are the key factors that helped you in doing so well in CAT?
Firstly, CAT is not a difficult exam. The kinds of questions that are asked in CAT are based on basics of Maths and English. Success in this exam comes from good time management and a lot of practice. I did not study a lot for CAT. In fact, my professional commitments did not allow me to take out a lot of time for preparation. However, 2-3 months prior to the real CAT, I started taking mock-tests on weekends at PT Education's Rajouri Garden centre. This really helped me recognize my strengths and weaknesses, and CAT- like test- taking arrangements at the centre helped me feel CAT before even appearing for the real exam. It also helped me manage time appropriately amongst different sections. I believe that taking mock tests regularly made all the difference!
Q: How did you prepare for CAT '08? What was your preparation strategy?
As I said, practicing mock tests helped me a lot. My coaching institute distributed test solutions as soon as tests got over and that made my work easier. I would go home and match my answers with the solutions and start working on my weaknesses. Also, I focused on distributing my time well amongst different sections.
Q: Now, how are you preparing for Group Discussions and Personal Interviews?
For current affairs, I am reading a lot of articles from magazines and Newspapers. Though, Interviewers generally do not probe directly on current affairs, it is very important to be prepared for indirect questions. The topic of GD could also be closely related with recent important issues. For Personal Interview, I may appear for few mock-Interviews.
Q: What do you think about the role of the coaching institutes for MBA test preparations?
Coaching institutes are important, but not essential for success. Coaching institutes generally help by keeping one motivated during ups and lows of preparation. I would say, if you can afford to, you can consider joining regular coaching classes or atleast appear for mock-tests. Coaching institutes can help you to some extent, but more important is to have a strong determination.
Q: For the aspirants who will take CAT in future, what would be your advice to crack CAT? What is the success key?
Practice, Practice and Practice!
